At Triborough GI we know that living with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is frustrating, especially when it comes to mealtimes. You often can’t enjoy your meal because you’re so worried about whether your food choices will trigger an episode of bloating, gas, cramps, diarrhea or constipation.
You’re not alone. An estimated 10 to 15 percent of people have IBS, which is twice as common in women, and it often goes undiagnosed. While the exact cause of irritable bowel syndrome is unknown, it’s clear that multiple factors – including the foods you eat – play a role in exacerbating symptoms. If you’re looking at diets to help relieve IBS symptoms, here’s some advice on foods that may be easier on your digestive system and foods to avoid with IBS.
Here are 15 Nutrition and Lifestyle Strategies for IBS
- Enjoy meals at regular times, chew well, and eat slowly. You may find it easier to digest and tolerate smaller portions of food vs. larger portions.
- Drink at least 8 cups (2 L) of fluid per day (e.g., water, herbal tea, broth) to stay hydrated.
- Try a short-term low FODMAP diet to help identify specific food triggers. FODMAPs are a group of specific carbohydrates that might trigger gut symptoms. High FODMAP foods include apples, onion, garlic, wheat, lactose, and sugar alcohols.
- Space fruit intake apart by 2-3 hours and stick to no more than one fruit portion per meal or snack.
- Choose cooked vegetables more often than raw, as cooked vegetables are easier to digest.
- Choose easier-to-digest proteins, such as eggs, chicken, turkey, fish, extra-firm tofu, and plain lactose-free Greek yogurt. Lower-fat cooking methods, such as baking, roasting, steaming, boiling, and sauteing, can also help you avoid uncomfortable symptoms.
- Consider adding in certain types of fiber if you are constipated, such as flaxseeds, oats, insulin, or psyllium. Avoid wheat bran and prunes, which are highly fermentable fibers that can trigger symptoms such as gas and abdominal pain.
- Limit gas -producing vegetables and legumes, such as broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, chickpeas, lentils, and black beans, if they trigger symptoms for you.
- Limit coffee and strong caffeinated teas (black, green) to no more than 3 cups per day.
- Limit alcohol, carbonated drinks, spicy foods, and deep-fried, greasy foods (e.g., French fries, pizza, hamburgers, tempura).
- Limit sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners, such as sorbitol, mannitol, xylitol, maltitol, and erythritol, especially if you are experiencing diarrhea. Some foods naturally contain these, such as prunes, cauliflower, and mushrooms, (except oyster mushrooms) as well as sugar-free candies and gums.
- Consider a short-term trial of a daily probiotic for at least one month and monitor symptoms.
- Rule out gluten intolerance and celiac disease. It is possible for people to experience an intolerance to the carbohydrates in wheat (FODMAP) instead of the protein in wheat (gluten), which may be one reason why many people with suspected gluten intolerance tolerate 100% sourdough wheat bread (low FODMAP), but not regular wheat bread.
- Enjoy regular physical activity. This can help to reduce gas, bloating, stress, and anxiety, all of which can trigger gut symptoms. Talk to your doctor, kinesiologist, and/or physiotherapist about which level of physical activity is right for you.
- Manage stress and anxiety: The brain-gut connection is very strong and well researched. You may notice worsened gut symptoms during times of increased stress and anxiety, which is a common response. Strategies to reduce stress could include walking in nature, listening to calm music, taking a nap, cooking, meditation, tai chi, yoga, writing, reading, massages, therapy, or anything else that you find helps you to relax. Some people may also want to seek out counseling from a professional and explore psychological therapies such as biofeedback, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and gut-directed hypnotherapy.